372 



JOUBNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON), [Vol. VIII. 



and the tom-tom beaters. When it is over, the Udupila 

 horn is taken back to the shed, and the coil of ropes 

 belonging to the Yatipila horn is arranged by an expert 

 over and under the Yatipila horn, in such a manner 

 as is best calculated to support it, the loose ends of the 

 coil being held in the meantime by the Yatipila ad- 

 herents, who sit round in a ring and pull, press in, or twist 

 the coils as directed by the expert. The coils belonging 

 to the Yatipila having been arranged, the Udupila expert 

 steps forward and arranges his coil over the ropes already 

 laid in the manner he thinks will assist his horn, and 

 increase the strain on the other, the loose ends of the 

 coil being held and manipulated as before by the Udupila 

 men. When he has finished, the Udupila horn is brought 

 up and artfully adjusted through the coils of the ropes 

 on to the other, and directly this is done, the two sides 

 stand up, the ropes are pulled and twisted tightly into their 

 places, and the ends of the coils are pulled by each party in 

 different directions, with the object, if possible, of breaking 

 one of the horns. If in about half an hour of this tugging 

 neither of the horns has given way, the coils round the 

 Yatipila are tied round those of the creepers at the base 

 of the an-gaha, and similarly the Udupila wdrama to those 

 round the henakanda. Both parties then lay hold indis- 

 criminately of the ropes tied to the top of the henakanda, 

 and singing a refrain in praise of their own particular 

 horn the while, pull with long jerks or swings, until one of 

 the horns break off or is cracked. While the tug continues, 

 the an-mol are carefully held in their places by one or more 

 (according to their size) of each party.* The leverage 

 afforded by the length of the post, its heavy top, and the 

 "play" it has at the base, puts an enormous strain on the 

 horns, and as a rule they break soon enough, but occasionally 

 they last for days, and are sometimes not broken after all. 



A few words on the meaning of the words Udupila and 

 Yatipila, and what the names imply. The Yatipila is the 



* When the an»m6l are very large, sometimes as many as ten or 

 twelve persons are required to hold each. 



